Body image and sexual functioning after breast cancer‏

Lindsey Rosman, a doctoral student in the department of psychology at East Carolina University contacted me recently about a confidential online survey she is conducting as part of her research into body image and sexual functioning after breast cancer‏.

Lindsey is also a breast cancer survivor, so knows first hand how often quality of life concerns associated with cancer survivorship can be overlooked. In her email to me she writes:

From my perspective as a survivor and as a researcher, these important issues are poorly understood, leaving many women without adequate support and treatment. With support from my faculty supervisor and approval from the Institutional Review Board at East Carolina University, I designed a confidential online survey to examine body image concerns and long-term sexual adjustment in women diagnosed and treated for early-stage breast cancer.

I believe that for most women, their body, and their breasts in particular, are a symbol of what it means to be a woman, mother, and sexual partner. Therefore the impact of breast cancer and its treatment is not limited to changes in physical appearance, but also can include alterations in how survivors perceive themselves as women and partners in an intimate relationship.

By conducting this research, my goal is to learn about women’s body image concerns and sexual experiences in the context of cancer survivorship and ultimately develop an effective intervention to improve the quality of life for survivors and their loved ones.

Please click on the link provided here if you would like to view the confidential online survey:

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Good on her, it’s a subject so easily pushed to the side and forgotten. All this is very important and often caught in the midst of illness these get pushed to the side until you wake up one morning you look in the mirror and wonder how you let yourself go (a bit)

Breasts have been a symbol of femininity and sexuality since civilization began, so it is not surprising that having breast cancer is not just an attack on your body but also your body image and self esteem.

Yeah, so challenging at least I know for women who’ve had mastectomy. And I can just imagine how it has to be for single women. Have you guys seen the SCAR project? It’s a traveling photo exhibit of beautiful women after breast cancer showing their scars.

There are a few books on this topic, and I’m reading one now, though it’s written by someone who’s face was very much affected by his cancer and deals not as much with the sexuality piece as the whole person. I just wrote an article on his story. If anyone wants to check it out … Ihttp://www.1uponcancer.com/2012/05/18/at-face-value-learning-to-love-your-body-after-cancer/

Thanks to you both for addressing this important aspect of a breast cancer diagnosis. If you have concerns, I would also encourage women to not be afraid to bring this topic up with their doctors. It’s pretty safe to say they won’t bring it up.

“Breast Cancer and Sexuality” actually has been one of my speaking topics. The issue is pretty complicated – physically, emotionally, spiritually. I would be happy, Marie, to do a guest blog sometime, if you are interested. I could do it on my own blog, too, in more detail. Meanwhile, I’ll check out the survey. Thanks for posting it.

This is a huge subject, because it resides in the larger backdrop of how women are socialized, how images of ‘ideal’ feminity are oversexualized, and how discrimination and abuse of women continues. Breast cancer itself has been sexualized by many awareness campaigns, making it that much harder for a woman to get her own personal self-image back to where she really needs it to be. Even our plastic surgery options are driven by social assumptions on the part of surgeons themselves, encouraging procedures that are complex, multiple, and subject us to potential health risks. It’s just insane. I wish Lindsay luck, wisdom & perspective.

Hooray for Linsday for tackling this topic, and many thanks to you, Marie, for spreading the word. I just completed the survey and hope many others do the same. Perhaps future groups of women with breast cancer will benefit from Lindsay’s research just as we’ve all benefited from prior studies.

I had my mastectomy 2 years ago. It´s very true to point out that it´s actually now that I would need support in how to face or even experience sexuality again. I´ve been single since my diagnosis in Aug 2009 and what I´m afraid of the most, is meeting someone who takes an interest in me and then losing interest when I tell him the “unavoidable”. Cancer is still a taboo subject and carries a very negative stigma as we all know. In the minds of many people there´s always the queston of a possible relapse etc…It would be so helpful to get support in this matter as I´m blocking any possibility of meeting anybody new…

Oh Rebecca ~ I am late to this comment as I just stumbled upon this blog. I too am single and while I am in a relationship (hard as it is), I know that my man doesn’t care at all that I am disfigured. (Reconstruction hasn’t begun yet.) It’s a little obvious that I care since I still wear a camisole to bed and have only taken it off once when we have been intimate.

I also continue to be very good friends with a man that I dated a few years before my diagnosis. He told me a story of his relationship with a woman who had DIEP created breasts and he did not find them any less stimulating (good for him, huh? ~ nonetheless good to know) and was perfectly comfortable with his woman. My guess is that her confidence led to the success of their relationship.

Also, I would discount the general public’s awareness of recurrence rates. I know I had NO idea and really had not paid any attention prior to having to know statistics for my treatment plans.

You go out into this dating world girl with your head held high and smile. You will have fun and find the man that will accept you, scars and all 🙂 Good luck Rebecca.

". . .and the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles, no matter how long, but only by a spiritual journey, a journey of one inch, very arduous and humbling and JOYFUL, by which we arrive at the ground at our own feet, and learn to be at home."
Wendell Berry